Plans are underway to bump senior adviser Kevin Madden into a more visible role along the campaign trail – and I couldn’t be happier. I’ve often privately lamented that he hasn’t been more of a presence this time around to help Governor Romney. Many remember Madden as the smart, savvy, unflappable guy who helped The Gov during the 2008 presidential election cycle. He was a tremendous help back then in his official capacity as Romney’s National Press Secretary and Senior Communications Strategist.

The senior adviser in Romney’s presidential campaign will be traveling more with the presumptive Republican nominee and working more in the day to day messaging of the campaign, a source close to team Romney confirms to CNN.

Madden was national press secretary for the former Massachusetts governor’s 2008 bid for the White House, working out of the campaign’s Boston headquarters. This cycle Madden, who lives in the nation’s capital, has been working out of Washington, first as an informal adviser, and since April as a senior adviser to the campaign and the Republican National Committee.
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Earlier Friday, a Romney campaign official responded to report in the Washington Post regarding staffing shifts within the organization by saying, “We are constantly growing the staff to be more effective in defeating Barack Obama.”

Madden is a Yonkers, New York guy; he currently resides in D.C. Here’s more of his impressive background:

Kevin Madden is Executive Vice President of Public Affairs of JDA Frontline, a public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and Charleston, S.C.

Prior to joining JDA Frontline, Mr. Madden was a Managing Director with The Glover Park Group, a leading public affairs firm based in Washington D.C.

Most notably, during the 2008 election cycle, Mr. Madden served as National Press Secretary and Senior Communications Strategist for Governor Mitt Romney’s presidential campaign.

Prior to joining Governor Romney’s campaign, Mr. Madden served as Press Secretary to then-House Majority Leader and now-House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio). In that capacity, Mr. Madden served as a top communications strategist for the House of Representatives leadership office charged with directing legislative action on a wide range of issues including financial services, energy, national security, legal reform, transportation and telecommunications policy among others.

Before his work as a top leadership aide on Capitol Hill, Mr. Madden served as the Department of Justice’s national spokesman on issues ranging from national security to litigation before the federal courts.

Kevin Madden is Executive Vice President of Public Affairs of JDA Frontline, a public affairs firm with offices in Washington, D.C. and Charleston, S.C.
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Yes! Mark your calendar; Madden will be a guest tonight on CNN’s tv program Erin Burnett OutFront at 7:00 PM ET. And, don’t forget to follow him on Twitter.

I’ll be smiling all day today.

UPDATE – Did you miss seeing Madden on CNN with Ms. Burnett? Here it is:

Gov Mitt Romney met with former President George H W Bush and former First Lady Barbara Bush last December. (Photo AP/Pat Sullivan)

Today, Governor Mitt Romney announced the support of former President George H.W. Bush:

“As a naval aviator, congressman, ambassador, CIA director, vice president, and president, George H.W. Bush served our country with great devotion and high distinction over many decades. When we talk about the Greatest Generation, we are talking about those like President Bush, who, after Pearl Harbor, enlisted in our armed forces and served with unflinching courage during World War II. This is a man who knows from the ground up – and from the top down – the meaning of responsibility in exercising leadership in our democracy. I am proud to have him as my mentor. Ann and I are grateful to be able to call Barbara and George our good friends. There is no greater honor than earning President Bush’s endorsement and I am grateful for all George and Barbara have done.”

(emphasis added)

FOX News aired the endorsement LIVE this afternoon. This important news, combined with yesterday’s backing from Senator Marco Rubio and the recent endorsement from Jeb Bush, underscores the flood of sentiment that it’s time to end the primary season, rally around Romney, and get ready to battle Obama.

George H.W. Bush, re-endorsing Mitt Romney today in Texas and making it formal for the first time – complete with live Fox News footage – was egged on by his wife Barbara:

“Aren’t you going to sing a song for us? Know when to fold ‘em?” she asked her husband, per POLITICO’s Reid Epstein.

“Yeah,” he said. “I do think it’s time for the party to get behind Gov. Romney. And she was reminding me Kenny Rogers sang, ‘It’s time when to hold ‘em and time when to fold ‘em.’ Well I think it’s time for people to all get behind this good man…We’re so convinced and we’ve known Mitt for a very long time, that he’s the man to do this job and get on and win the presidency, and that’s about it. And with no further ado, here’s the man.”

UPDATE 2 – Apparently President Bush 41 loves socks with pizazz. At their meeting today in Texas, he presented Romney with a pair (love it!):

The day long event is being held in the Orange County Convention Center in Orlando, FL (the same location as the presidential debate last night). Kudos to those who scheduled these two events back-to-back in the same place. After his impressive performance at the presidential debate last night, hopefully Mitt Romney slept very well and then upon waking, he can simply walk to the CPAC venue. He’s scheduled to speak this morning at 9:30 AM ET.

All of the GOP presidential candidates are scheduled to speak. (Note that Rep. Thaddeus McCotter, who dropped out of the presidential race yesterday and endorsed Mitt, is scheduled to speak at 10:00 AM ET.)

For a livefeed of the events, click here. (A simple registration is required or log in if you’ve previously registered.)